


your heart is your masterpiece

by Fireborn



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Beginning of KH3 Spoilers, Boys In Love, Canon Divergence, First Kiss, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-13 05:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18934708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fireborn/pseuds/Fireborn
Summary: "Sometimes you care so much for somebody that other feelings disappear," Mickey had told him and Riku couldn't help but that that it was a little ironic that it was the Realm of Darkness that finally made him see.Or, midnight confessions at the Mysterious Tower. With some kisses added for good measure.





	your heart is your masterpiece

**Author's Note:**

> I took some time off from writing my Big Bang story to write Soriku love confessions and first kisses, because these two deserve all the love in the world.
> 
> Set after KH II.9.

When Riku and Mickey enter Master Yen Sid’s study after returning from the Realm of Darkness, they are welcomed by three loud shrieks. Riku stops dead in the doorway. Sora is pointing at him, eyebrows raised and stares at him with an unreadable look on his face. 

Riku flushes, suddenly self-conscious. “What?”

Sora jumps a little, then averts his gaze, eyes darting from the book case to the desk to his shoes and then back up again to Riku’s face. 

“Sorry... I just… I like your new clothes? You look…” he trails off. 

Goofy and Donald exchange a knowing look behind Sora’s back, and Riku gets the feeling he’s missing something. He blinks twice and decides to let it go.

“We went to Olympus to visit Hercules!” Donald pipes up.

“And to figure out how to get all of Sora’s lost powers back,” Goofy adds.

“But it was a big disappointment…” Donald finishes in a stage whisper.

Sora hangs his head and his shoulders slump a little. Riku’s heart goes out to him. He can’t imagine what it must feel like, having most of your powers stripped away. He wants to make Sora feel better, so he hurries to add that Mickey and him didn’t fare much better. This at least puts a small smile back on Sora’s face, eyes crinkling up a little at the corner as he tilts his head.

“We’re a right pair, aren’t we?” Sora quips.

Riku smiles back. Then he turns serious.

“Sora, I’m sorry we couldn’t wait for you before we had to leave. Master Yen Sid insisted we go straight away.” 

Riku strongly feels the weight of the responsibility of being a Keyblade Master. In a strange way, he’s happy that Sora didn’t pass the Mark of Mastery. Not because Sora doesn’t deserve to be a Keyblade Master, but because there’s no way he wants Sora to feel like this.

Sora nods and folds his arms behind his head. 

“It's okay. I understood. Can we at least spend some time together now? Before we need to leave again?” He grins at Riku. “I have so much to tell you!” 

Sora’s eyes are sparkling in the dim lighting of the room and Riku's heart leaps a little.

Donald grumbles, “It’s only been a few days since you last saw him, Sora.”

“But still!” Sora exclaims, gesturing wildly with his arms. “We went to Olympus and it was awesome! We fought against _Titans_! And we used Goofy’s shield to slide down the streets of Thebes. And they had these beautiful gardens, which we managed to defend from the Heartless, and afterwards we relaxed for a bit in a gazebo. And then after we left, Donald figured out how to use the additional boosts we installed on the Gummi Ship, so we chased some Heartless ships around and blasted them out of the sky, and then...”

“Ahem,” Yen Sid clears his throat and Sora trails off, looking sheepish.

Riku looks at Yen Sid, then at Mickey. He's afraid to ask, but thankfully Mickey nods slowly.

“We need a new keyblade for you, anyway, Riku. And we got hit pretty hard in the Realm of Darkness. Let’s take some time to recuperate.”

“Alright!” Sora jumps, pumping his fists in the sky. “Donald, Goofy, I’ll see you later!”

Sora turns and all but drags Riku through the door by his arm.

As they walk down the endless flights of stairs, Sora excitedly continues his story, recounting all of the events that happened in Olympus. 

“And then we beat the Titans together with Herc. It was amazing! I did this great team attack with Hercules where he would spin me around, and I just held out my keyblade to knock all of these Heartless back. You should’ve seen me, Riku!”

Riku’s lips curl up in a small smile. He's missed just being around Sora. Missed his enthusiasm, the way his eyes light up and the way he gestures wildy when telling a story. It’s mesmerising and Riku knows he’s staring a little. Luckily Sora is too engrossed in the story he's telling to notice.

They finally reach the front door, exit the tower and stroll across the grounds, side by side, arms brushing occasionally as they walk. The night air is crisp, but not cold. Riku turns his face into the light breeze. There was no wind in the Realm of Darkness. No birds, no sounds, just the overwhelming metallic smell of darkness and a whole lot of nothingness. It’s good to be back. It’s even better to be able to spend this time with Sora. It feels like it hasn’t really sunk in yet that he managed to pull Sora back from the dark abyss. 

Sora is still talking a mile a minute, and Riku only listens to half of it. He thinks back to the words Mickey said to him, and how they suddenly made him see everything so clearly: “ _Sometimes you care so much for somebody that other feelings disappear._ ”

He thinks back to that moment, to the thrill of having a label to put to these feelings. He's known for years that Sora is more precious to him than anything else in this world, has known it from the moment that Sora was three years old and fell from the swing in the park and cried and cried, and Riku had felt that pain almost as much, had wanted to take it away and lock it into his heart. It had had made something in his chest clench fiercely when all he could do was put his arms around his sobbing friend and tell him that it was okay.

It was a little ironic that it was the Realm of Darkness that finally made him see. His desire to keep Sora safe was a feeling that shaped him over the years, defined him through all of his protectiveness, teasing, longing and jealousy: It has always been Sora.

Part of him wants to cherish this feeling, keep it private and just for him. He's used to keeping things inside. This is no different. These are _his_ feelings, no one else will understand. But at the same time, a tiny part of him wonders what would happen if he asked Sora if he felt the same...

“Riku… Hey, Riku! Are you listening?” Sora's voice breaks through his reverie.

Riku exhales sharply, abruptly shaken from his thoughts. “Sorry, Sora.”

Sora is pouting at him, but his face softens as he sees how serious the look on Riku's face is. “What’re you thinking of?”

 _You_ , Riku wants to say, and he feels the warmth rushing to his cheeks as he bites his bottom lip to prevent himself from blurting out the word. He hopes Sora doesn't notice. “The Realm of Darkness,” he says instead. It's close enough to the truth.

Sora’s face falls a little and Riku curses himself mentally. He hurries to add, “But that’s not a bad thing.”

Sora blinks up at him. “It’s not?”

“No,” Riku shakes his head. He takes a moment to think about how to explain it to Sora. “It was different, being there this time. I felt strong. Confident. It’s like I’m finally seeing clearly, I know what I need to do.”

“To save Aqua?”

Riku nods, absentmindedly, and his stomach twists a little. Saving Aqua should be his first priority. It seems to be the key to bringing all of the guardians of light back together. And while it’s important, and he knows this, it’s not the number one thing on his mind.

Unexpectedly, the forest they've been walking through gives way to a small clearing. It’s hidden from view, with trees all around, and Riku's sure he's not been here before. It reminds him of a spot on the islands where Sora and him used to play when they got tired of the sand on the beach. 

He turns to Sora.

“Not just Aqua. I feel like I have finally found the strength to protect what matters.” 

He doesn’t really know why he says this. He's realised his feelings only so recently. He shouldn’t say things like this.

Sora tilts his head up, and Riku reaches out a hand before he can stop himself. The stars are reflected in Sora’s eyes, they are dark blue and spotted with little white sparks. He intends for his hand to land on Sora’s shoulder, but Sora takes a step closer at that exact moment, and his fingers brush Sora’s cheek instead. Sora closes his eyes, leans into the touch and _oh_... 

That warm feeling he felt in the Realm of Darkness spreads across his chest again.

He swallows thickly. The fact that he accepted his feelings for Sora does not mean that he is prepared to handle this...

“Sora…” Riku says in a low voice.

As Sora steps even closer, Riku’s hand falls and he wraps an arm around Sora’s shoulder in a half-hug. Sora’s skin is warm against his bare forearm, much warmer than it should be in the cool night air. Sora wraps his arms around Riku’s waist, sliding them underneath his jacket, and buries his face into Riku’s chest. Riku’s heart stops. Instinctively, he wraps both of his arms around Sora’s shoulders and just holds him. His thoughts race. Sora’s always been touchy-feeling, but this is out of character, even for him.

“I missed you, Riku…”

They stand there, unmoving, for what feels like an eternity. The zipper of Sora’s jacket is pressing into his ribs, but he really cannot bring himself to care. Sora keeps his arms firmly wrapped around Riku’s waist, and Riku relaxes, resting his head on top of Sora’s. He wants to say something back, but his throat doesn’t cooperate, he can’t get the words out. It hurts to swallow.

Sora finally moves back, then smiles up at him. “When I was in Thebes, I talked to Hercules. He told me..”

Riku hums when Sora falls silent, encouraging him to continue, not really knowing where this is going.

“He told me that he got his strength back when he needed to protect Meg, the person he loves. And…” Sora looks at his shoes, hair falling forwards, shielding his eyes from Riku’s gaze. “I guess… I started thinking. Riku…”

Riku's heart, impossibly, starts beating even faster as he watches Sora’s throat move as he swallows. He's starting to get an idea of where this is going, but it’s almost too much to hope. “Sora, what are you saying?”

“It’s you, Riku. I never really thought about it before, but when Herc started talking about the person he loves, all I could think about was you…”

Only Sora would just open up about his feelings like this. Riku would never in a million years have dared to start a conversation like this. He'd rather fight a thousand Demon Tides...

“Riku, you've always looked out for me. You're…” Sora puts a hand over his heart. “I can feel it. Our connection. Ever since the day I woke up from the sleep Xehanort put me in.”

Riku doesn't know what to say to that. His throat burns, his eyes sting. He wants nothing more than to reach out and hug Sora again. He wants to touch him, hold him, protect him, never let him go. The feeling is so strong that it overwhelms him. He clenches his fists.

“Sora…” he whispers, surprised at how wrecked his voice sounds. “God, Sora, I love you _so much_.”

Sora breaks into a huge grin, and suddenly he's in Riku's arms again. Riku wraps his arms around him, and he's surprised to feel Sora shaking. Well, maybe not that surprised. Sora's always been a total sap.

They stay like this for a long time. Finally, Riku lets his arms drop, and Sora steps back. His cheeks are wet, and Riku reaches out to wipe away the tears with his thumbs, brushing gently over the soft swell of his cheeks. 

Sora’s eyes are impossibly blue as he blinks up at Riku through his tears. He smiles and bites his bottom lip, a distracting gesture.

“I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying,” his voice cracks on the final word.

Riku gives a minute shake of his head, can’t look away, afraid that if he breaks eye contact, all of this will turn out to be a dream. “Don't apologise.”

“I'm just so happy,” Sora beams, his lip trembling but his eyes wide and round, filled with awe.

“Sora…” Riku whispers.

They look at each other for just a little too long, but the silence between them is not awkward. Riku is still idly stroking Sora's check with his right hand. His left hand has dropped to Sora's chest, covering his heart. It’s like the world has gone silent around them, just the two of them in their bubble, and everything is perfect.

“Riku,” Sora starts.

“Sora,” Riku says at the same time.

They look at each other in surprise and start laughing.

“Can I…?” Riku doesn't dare to hope. His eyes flick to Sora's lips.

“ _Yes_ ,” Sora exhales.

Riku leans down just as Sora leans up and their mouths meet in a chaste kiss. Sora’s lips are soft and pliant under his and _so soft_. Riku’s eyes slip closed and he tilts his head to the right, pressing closer and Sora makes a kind of mewling sound that sends a shiver across Riku’s spine.

His heart is beating so loudly that he's sure Sora can hear it. And then, Sora opens his mouth, and _oh_. 

It's glorious. Sora runs his tongue across Riku’s lower lip and Riku gasps. He brings up a hand to slide into Sora’s hair, wanting him _closer_ , needing _more_ , and he can literally see sparks behind his eyelids. Sora tastes like vanilla, tinged with a hint of salt, and Riku honest to god _whimpers_ as he feels Sora’s hands slip underneath his shirt. His skin is tingling all over, his attention divided between the way their tongues slide together, wet and soft and hot, how Sora’s teeth tug against his bottom lip, and how Sora presses them closer together, pulling with his palms flat against the small of Riku’s back.

When they break apart, Sora is way more put together than Riku, able to speak when Riku can only pant and stare at Sora's lips, glistening wet and a little swollen.

“That was amazing! Why have we never done this before?” Sora asks breathlessly.

Riku just laughs, too dazed to reply. His hand, still pressed against the back of Sora’s head, starts rubbing in slow circles.

Sora smiles at him for long seconds, before the look on his face falls and turns into something more serious. “So, what happens now?”

“I guess…” Riku wishes things were different, but they aren’t. His heart sinks a little. “Things don't really change. Mickey and I still need to go and find Aqua. You still need to regain your power of waking.”

Sora's face falls a little. “And what about us?”

“I don’t know,” Riku says, then backtracks quickly at the look on Sora’s face. “No, I know. I mean, I know this. I _love_ you. I think… I hope…” he trails off, unable to find the words for this feeling that is threatening to burst out of his chest.

“ _Yes_ ,” Sora says. “You're still my best friend, Riku. Only now it's more. We'll make it up as we go along. We always do.”

For a moment, it feels like the world has been lifted from Riku's shoulders. 

“Yes,” Riku turns to look at the moon. It's clearly past midnight. “C'mon. It's getting late. We should be getting back. We have long journeys ahead of us.”

After a few steps, he feels Sora slip his hand into his. Riku looks sideways, but Sora is looking at the sky.

Riku squeezes his hand, which earns him a blinding smile.

“It'll be fine, you know,” Riku says, and he doesn’t know who he’s trying to reassure.

He walks Sora to his room, where they reluctantly let go of each other's hands.

It's Sora who initiates another kiss, a hesitant brush of lips, eyes fluttering closed. Their noses bump before Sora tilts his head and deepens the kiss, pressing closer and Riku hums as Sora licks against his mouth, then sighs as their tongues brush, the sound small and needy in the quiet of the hallway.

Riku tangles his fingers into the hair at Sora's nape, tugging a little. He feels Sora gasp at the touch and melt against him, pressing closer, so warm and solid, and Riku feels it might take him some time to get used to this. This kiss is slow and tender, full of promises of things to come. He never wants it to end.

When they eventually pull apart, Sora rests his forehead against Riku’s shoulder for a moment, nuzzling against the fabric of his jacket. “Riku?”

“Yes?”

“I love you, too.” Sora looks up at him with shining eyes, and Riku exhales with a shuddering breath. This is really happening. The butterflies, which never really stopped fluttering in his stomach since Sora’s confession, seem to have multiplied. This moment will guide him through everything in their journey to come.

Sora presses a last soft kiss to Riku's lips before reluctantly stepping away.

“See you tomorrow?” He asks softly.

“Yeah…” Riku smiles.

After Sora closes the door to his room, Riku all but flounces to his own room at the other end of the hallway. Just as he's about to enter the room, the door across from him opens and Mickey sticks his head around the corner.

“Everything okay, Riku?”

“Yeah,” Riku smiles wistfully. “Yeah, actually, never better.”

Mickey smiles back at him. “I'm happy to hear that.”

“It's good to have Sora back,” Riku lets out before he can stop himself.

“Sure is,” Mickey's smile turns into a little knowing smirk, and Riku flushes.

“Night, Mickey.”

“Good night, Riku.”


End file.
